Bridgend

Bridgend's population expanded between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 140,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Bridgend increased by 8.2%, from just under 129,000 to 139,000.

The addition of just under 11,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in Wales, while Bridgend remained the ninth-most populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Bridgend was home to, on average, 4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Bridgend

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bridgend increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a slightly higher average age than Torfaen (one of the most statistically similar areas to Bridgend based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,800 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 15% of people in Bridgend are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Bridgend

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Bridgend fell from 11% to 9.7% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 52 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 10,313.

In Neath Port Talbot (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bridgend), 15% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 18% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Bridgend saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

During this period, Bridgend overtook Merthyr Tydfil and Newport to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) people aged 16 and over in Bridgend said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 55% to 49%.

Powys saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 10.0% to 12%).

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Bridgend saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Bridgend overtook six local authority areas, including Wrexham and Isle of Anglesey, to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) households in Bridgend had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 32% to 29%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 12% to 14%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in Bridgend, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys and Wrexham.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

In 2011, about 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bridgend said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 11% to 8.5%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week occurred in Powys (from 1.9% to 2.9%) followed by Wrexham (from 1.6% to 2.5%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bridgend increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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